Cable-driving mechanism



Oct. 30, 1928.

K. DAVIS GA'BLE DRIVING uncnmzsm Filed Jul 5, 1924 M [1)1VENTOR 1 W 15scribed.

Patented Oct. 30,1928. v I i 7 1,689,996;

3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENNETH news, on 'ST. BENEDICT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR To REMBRANDTream, RICHARD rnALn, AND REMBRANDT PEALE, .rumon, TRUSTEES, ALL orsr.

BENEDICT, PENNSYLVANIA. y a l r CABLE-DRIVING MECHANISM.

. Application filed July 5, 1924. Serial No. 724,337.

The invention relates to acable driving by spring and cam devices forcausing the mechanism, and more especially to such a fin ers to gripthecable and then to release it. 55 mechanism for positively driving anendless r ISO, in this preferred embodiment there cable. is a directdrive by motor upon thesheave,

Objects and advantages of the invention although obviously the drivecouldbe varied will be set forth in part hereinafter and in as desired.part will be obvious herefrom, ormay be Referring now in detail to theembodiment, an

learned by practice with the invention, the illustratedby'way of examplein the accomsame being realized and attained by means panyingdrawings, apedestal l is provided of the instrumentalities' and combinationscomprising a bed plate 2and an upwardlypointed outintheappended claims.extendingcolumn 3, a stub .shaft 4 being The invention consists in thenovel parts, mounted within the column. or V constructions,arrangements, combinations A sheave 5 is journaledloosely on the shaftand improvements herein shown and de- 4, and thewheel hub 6 has itslower fiat face running on a ball bearing 7, which bearing is Thevaccompanying drawings, referred to supported upon the top face of thecolumn 3.

herein and constituting a part hereof, illus- The sheave 5 is held inplace on the shaft 70 trate one embodiment of the invention, and 4 bysuitable means, such as a friction washer togetherwith the description,serve to ex-' 8, which encircles a-reduced, screw-threaded lain theprinciplesof the invention. 1 end9 of the shaft 4, and is supported uponIn the drawings the shouldered part, formed bythe reduction Fig; 1 isacentral vertical section through of the shaft, thereby preventing unduepres 75 the mechanism embodying the invention, sure and friction on thehub of the sheave; and Y A nut 10 is screwed onto the threaded top 9 l5Fig. 2 is a side elevation, looking in the of the shaft 4 to hold thesheave and washer opposite direction, of the. mechanism shown inposition. I in Fig. 1, V The embodied form of automatically-open so Thisapplication is directed to subject matating cable gripping and releasingmeans ter disclosed in my application Ser. No. 266,- comprises a seriesof spring and cam-operated 505, filed December 12, 1918, whicheventucable-clamping fingers 20, pivotally mounted ated in Patent No. 1,467,845, dated Septemat 21 upon supporting brackets 18, which are her11, 1923. I fastened upon the body ofthesheave by bolts In the originalapplication, the mechanism 19. The fingers 20 are formed as levers, theis shown appliedtoamechanism for automatitails 22 thereof extendingdownwardly and cally conveying coal in a coal mine bymeans inwardly andcarrying at their inner ends,

of a series of bottomless scrapers dragged res ectively, cam rollers 23.

along by stagings or lead-lines attached to .hese cam rollers run on theunderside of 90 I,

an endless cable driven by the mechanism a cam-track 24, located beneaththe sheave and claimed in the present application. Howcarried by thecolumn 8. Helical tension 40 ever, it will be clear that the mechanismcovsprings 25 impel the camrollers 23 against .ered by the presentapplication is susceptible the cam track. 24. Thus, as the sheave roofgeneral use in providing a positive drive tates, the cam fingers, duringtheidle part of for endless cables, and possibly for other their travel,are held by their rollers 23 and uses. cam-ring 24 in the open position,against the The preferred embodiment of the invention action of theirrespective springs 25. When 1 comprises generally a sheave, suitablymountany particular clamping finger, by the rotaed on a shaft, andhaving means for gripping tion of the sheave, comes into the a'ctive,'or

or pressin the endless cable to the sheave to clamping, position withrespect to the cable, prevent s ippage and to insure a positive the camtrack permits the corresponding 50 drive. This. is effected in thepresent emspring 25 to force the finger 20 into clamping bodiment byaseries of automatically-open engagement with the sheave and to hold itatin cable gripping members or fingers, carin such engagement duringapproximately a riedhry the sheave, and which are controlled halfrevolution of the sheave.

When the linger comes to the place where the cable leaves the sheave,the cam track 24 will again operate to open the clamping finger, andthus release its grip upon the cable. It will be noted from the drawingthat the sheave is provided with a sufiicient number of the clampingfingers so that a plurality thereof are simultaneously and continuouslyin gripping engagement with the cable.

In accordance with one feature of the invention, as already indicated, adirect drive upon the sheave is provided. As embodied, av motor 30 ismounted on a base 31, which is preferably integral with the bed 2 of thesupporting frame or" the sheave. On the shaft or the motor is a pinion32, meshing directly with a crown gear ring 33, formed on the side faceof the sheave. It will be obvious thatthesc. parts may be proportionedso that this direct drive, without the use of belts or reduction gears,can be economically and efliciently applied.

The drawings illustrating application of the present invention to anendless scraper line for convey-ing coal, are reproduced from the parentapplication. The cable 3% is shown running around the sheave, and havingstagings or lead lines 35 connected to the bails 36 of the bottomlessscrapers 37. At the outer end of their run, the scrapers pass over-theelevated and inclined platform 38, having the discharge opening 39therein. As the bottomless scrapers pass over the opening 39, the coaldrops into the car 40.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specificmechanisms shown and described but departures may be made therefrom'ithin the scope of the accompanying claims without departing from theprinciples of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

\Vhat I claim is 1. In a cable driving mechanism in combination arotatable sheave about which the cable runs having a central supportingweb, a plurality of cable gripping levers pivoted to the central web, anactuating arm on each lever inclined inwardly away from the pivot,spring means fixed to the web and to the actuating arms for impellingthe levers to gripping position, cam rollers on the actuating arms, anda stationary cam track, cooperating with the rollers for controlling thegripping movements 01 the levers.

2. In a cable driving mechanism in cornbination a rotatable sheave aboutwhich the cable runs having a central supporting web, a plurality ofcable gripping levers pivoted to the central web, an actuating arm oneach lever inclined inwardly away from the pivot, spring means. fixed tothe web and to the actuating arms for impelling the levers to grippingposition, cam rollers on the actuating arms, and a stationary cam tuckin constant engagement with the rollers for con trolling the grippingmovements of the levers.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this specification.

KENNETH DAVIS.

